Seal devices are used in various applications like e.g. in telescopic forks for bicycles and at other axially adjustable piston rods. It is generally known to arrange front forks of bicycles with so called telescoping forks in a spring elastic and shock absorbing manner at a bicycle. A front wheel is then attached at both sides with its wheel axle at the telescoping fork. The telescoping fork can include spring elements and damper elements in order to receive jolts from the wheel in a spring elastic and dampened manner.
The operating cylinder of the telescoping fork in to which a piston rod penetrates are sealed relative to the piston rod by a seal device in a dust tight and water tight manner. A sealed device for telescoping forks of bicycles is known from DE 195 33 005 A1. Also EP 1 378 681 shows a damping device for a double tube damper with a seal device in which seal rings are inserted in the housing of the damping device in ring grooves which reach around the piston rod in a sealing manner.
In known seal devices there is often a problem in that fabrication tolerances in a portion of the seal devices and the housing which receives the seal rings in ring grooves or in other installation spaces has a disadvantageous effect upon the contaminant stripping function and the sealing function of the seal device. Vibrations in the portion of the seal rings can also degrade these functions.